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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Top 100 City Destinations Ranking

Euromonitor International is pleased to
release the Top City Destinations Ranking, covering 100 of the world’s leading
cities in terms of international tourist arrivals. Continued economic growth
helped these cities collectively experience a gain of 6.6% in 2012, outpacing
the 4.2% growth of overall international arrivals.

Within the top 10, six
cities are located in Asia, demonstrating the importance of the region to
international travel. Overall, 32 of the top 100 city destinations are in Asia
Pacific, 12 more than in second-placed Western Europe.

The Rise of Chinese Tourists Impacts Top
Cities

Hong Kong and Singapore maintained their
first and second place spots in 2012. China was the fastest growing source
market and helped them to retain their leading positions. Arrivals from China
to Hong Kong grew by 11.1% in 2012 and accounted for a 63.5% share of all
inbound visitors.

Without taking Chinese arrivals into account, however,
international arrivals to Hong Kong were flat. China is the third largest source
market for Singapore although it accounts for only 9.6% of international
arrivals. Instead, Singapore relies heavily on arrivals from Malaysia and
Indonesia, which together account for slightly more than half of all arrivals.

Chinese tourists were also a boon to
Thailand’s tourism industry, increasing by 62% in 2012 to become the largest
source market for tourists. Chinese tourists visit Thailand for its temples,
beaches and shopping.

Additionally, the 2012 Chinese film “Lost in Thailand”
inspired more tourists to flock to the country. As a result, Bangkok edged out
London for third place in the rankings.

As a mature destination heavily dependent on
mature source markets, such as the US and Europe, London’s 2.3% increase was a
reasonable performance. Instead of being a boon for international tourism, the
summer Olympics had a displacement effect, with 5% fewer international arrivals
to the city in July 2012 compared to July 2011, according to the UK’s Office
for National Statistics.

While the Chinese Venture Abroad, Fewer
Travellers Visit China

In absolute terms, Shanghai, Beijing and
Zhuhai were among the worst performing cities in 2012. . A slowing economy, a
stronger yuan and pollution fears all dissuaded travellers from visiting Asian
countries, as well as Canadians and Russians from visiting China.

In
particular, tourists from Japan, the fifth largest source market, experienced a
decline due to the weak yen and the ongoing dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu
Islands in the East China Sea.

However, Guilin registered strong growth thanks
to the efforts of its government to promote the city as an international
destination at travel trade fairsheld
in Thailand, Russia and Malaysia, as well as the city’s burgeoning reputation
for sightseeing.

Euromonitor International’s Top City Destinations Ranking

City

Country

Ranking

Arrivals 2012 (‘000)

2011/2012 % Growth

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

1

23,770.2

6.5

Singapore

Singapore

2

21,345.7

7.7

Bangkok

Thailand

3

15,822.6

14.6

London

UK

4

15,461.0

2.3

Macau

Macau

5

13,360.8

3.4

Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

6

13,339.5

6.7

Shenzhen

China

7

12,100.4

9.6

New York City

USA

8

11,618.0

8.9

Antalya

Turkey

9

10,296.6

-1.6

Paris

France

10

9,780.8

3.3

Istanbul

Turkey

11

8,820.1

16.5

Rome

Italy

12

8,670.7

13.9

Dubai

UAE

13

8,023.0

0.5

Guangzhou

China

14

7,879.6

1.2

Phuket

Thailand

15

7,217.0

14.7

Mecca

Saudi Arabia

16

6,852.9

6.9

Pattaya

Thailand

17

6,564.3

8.4

Taipei

Taiwan

18

6,561.2

24.8

Prague

Czech Republic

19

6,547.7

5.1

Shanghai

China

20

6,539.7

-2.2

Las Vegas

USA

21

6,298.0

5.9

Miami

USA

22

5,987.0

4.5

Barcelona

Spain

23

5,459.1

0.5

Moscow

Russia

24

5,036.2

13.6

Beijing

China

25

5,035.4

-3.2

Los Angeles

USA

26

5,017.0

1.2

Budapest

Hungary

27

4,821.6

12

Vienna

Austria

28

4,328.7

8

Amsterdam

Netherlands

29

4,289.2

2.1

Sofia

Bulgaria

30

4,126.3

-0.4

Madrid

Spain

31

4,111.3

-6

Orlando

USA

32

4,067.0

7.4

Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam

33

3,923.1

6.5

Lima

Peru

34

3,792.5

29.1

Berlin

Germany

35

3,789.2

5.2

Tokyo

Japan

36

3,754.2

47.1

Warsaw

Poland

37

3,660.3

14.3

Chennai

India

38

3,535.2

11.4

Cairo

Egypt

39

3,500.0

7.7

Nairobi

Kenya

40

3,438.4

8.5

Hangzhou

China

41

3,381.7

10.4

Milan

Italy

42

3,323.7

-0.3

San Francisco

USA

43

3,210.0

3.7

Buenos Aires

Argentina

44

3,166.5

3.3

Venice

Italy

45

3,164.9

0.9

Mexico City

Mexico

46

3,127.3

9.8

Dublin

Ireland

47

3,098.6

-2.1

Seoul

South Korea

48

2,999.9

5

Muğla

Turkey

49

2,981.4

-2.9

Mumbai

India

50

2,977.0

26.7

Denpasar

Indonesia

51

2,956.0

6

Delhi

India

52

2,884.0

6.7

Toronto

Canada

53

2,819.0

3

Zhuhai

China

54

2,736.5

-14.7

St. Petersburg

Russia

55

2,714.6

4.2

Burgas

Bulgaria

56

2,690.0

22.9

Sydney

Australia

57

2,678.0

2

Djerba

Tunisia

58

2,638.4

24.6

Munich

Germany

59

2,622.8

2.7

Johannesburg

South Africa

60

2,620.2

12

Cancún

Mexico

61

2,612.5

4.8

Edirne

Turkey

62

2,536.3

-0.2

Suzhou

China

63

2,530.1

8.8

Bucharest

Romania

64

2,437.0

3.7

Punta Cana

Dominican Republic

65

2,398.5

7

Agra

India

66

2,353.7

12.9

Jaipur

India

67

2,344.4

13.7

Brussels

Belgium

68

2,294.1

-0.5

Nice

France

69

2,242.9

5.1

Chiang Mai

Thailand

70

2,218.7

20

Sharm el Sheikh

Egypt

71

2,200.0

9.7

Lisbon

Portugal

72

2,191.8

1.6

East Province

Saudi Arabia

73

2,156.2

8

Marrakech

Morocco

74

2,101.0

2.4

Jakarta

Indonesia

75

2,098.1

5

Manama

Bahrain

76

2,035.5

9.4

Hanoi

Vietnam

77

2,007.9

10

Honolulu

USA

78

2,004.0

5

Manila

Philippines

79

2,000.4

15.6

Guilin

China

80

1,970.6

19.9

Auckland

New Zealand

81

1,965.4

-6.4

Siem Reap

Cambodia

82

1,932.1

19.9

Sousse

Tunisia

83

1,929.9

27

Amman

Jordan

84

1,917.3

-0.1

Vancouver

Canada

85

1,912.9

1

Abu Dhabi

UAE

86

1,876.0

8.8

Kiev

Ukraine

87

1,874.0

18.6

Doha

Qatar

88

1,867.7

2.4

Florence

Italy

89

1,834.0

0.9

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

90

1,796.7

6

Melbourne

Australia

91

1,780.0

6.1

Washington DC

USA

92

1,741.0

6.3

Riyadh

Saudi Arabia

93

1,738.9

8

Christchurch

New Zealand

94

1,732.5

-0.1

Frankfurt

Germany

95

1,731.2

2.9

Baku

Azerbaijan

96

1,709.1

7.5

São Paulo

Brazil

97

1,690.0

2.4

Harare

Zimbabwe

98

1,686.5

7.1

Kolkata

India

99

1,637.4

14.4

Nanjing

China

100

1,634.7

8.5

Source: Euromonitor InternationalNote: Hong Kong and Macau are Special Administrative Regions of China

- See more at: http://blog.euromonitor.com/2014/01/euromonitor-internationals-top-city-destinations-ranking.html#sthash.nncTkcI0.dpuf